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Chapter 8

Septuagint

Masoretic

8:1 And in that day king Artaxerxes
gave to Esther all that belonged to Aman the slanderer: and Mardochaeus
was called by the king; for Esther had shewn that he was related to her.

8:2 And the king took the ring which he had taken away from Aman, and
gave it to Mardochaeus: and Esther appointed Mardochaeus over all that
had been Aman's.

8:3 And she spoke yet again to the king, and fell at his feet, and
besought [him] to do away the mischief of Aman, and all that he had done
against the Jews.

8:4 Then the king stretched out to Esther the golden sceptre: and Esther
arose to stand near the king.

8:5 And Esther said, If it seem good to thee, and I have found favour
[in thy sight], let an order be sent that the letters sent by Aman may
be reversed, that were written for the destruction of the Jews, who are
in thy kingdom.

8:6 For how shall I be able to look upon the affliction of my people,
and how shall I be able to survive the destruction of my kindred?

8:7 And the king said to Esther, If I have given and freely granted thee
all that was Aman's, and hanged him on a gallows, because he laid his
hands upon the Jews, what dost thou yet further seek?

8:8 Write ye also in my name, as it seems good to you, and seal [it]
with my ring: for whatever [orders] are written at the command of the
king, and sealed with my ring, it is not lawful to gainsay them.

8:9 So the scribes were called in the first-month, which is Nisan, on
the three and twentieth day of the same year; and [orders] were written
to the Jews, whatever [the king had] commanded to the local governors
and chiefs of the satraps, from India even to Ethiopia, a hundred and
twenty-seven satraps, according to the several provinces, according to
their dialects.

8:10 And they were written by order of the king, and sealed with his
ring, and they sent the letters by the posts:

8:11 wherein he charged them to use their [own] laws in every city, and
to help each other, and to treat their adversaries, and those who
attacked them, as they pleased,

8:12 on one day in all the kingdom of Artaxerxes, on the thirteenth
[day] of the twelfth month, which is Adar.

8:13 And let the copies be posted in conspicuous places throughout the
kingdom, and let all the Jews be ready against this day, to fight
against their enemies.

And the following is the copy of the letter of the orders.

The great king Artaxerxes sends greetings to the rulers of provinces in
a hundred and twenty-seven satrapies, from India to Ethiopia, even to
those who are faithful to our interests. Many who have been frequently
honored by the most abundant kindness of their benefactors have
conceived ambitious designs, and not only endeavour to hurt our
subjects, but moreover, not being able to bear prosperity, they also
endeavour to plot against their own benefactors. And they not only would
utterly abolish gratitude from among men, but also, elated by the
boastings of men who are strangers to all that is good, they supposed
that they shall escape the sin-hating vengeance of the ever-seeing God.
And oftentimes evil exhortation has made partakers of the guilt of
shedding innocent blood, and has involved in irremediable calamities,
many of those who had been appointed to offices of authority, who had
been entrusted with the management of their friends' affairs; while men,
by the false sophistry of an evil disposition, have deceived the simple
candour of the ruling powers. And it is possible to see this, not so
much from more ancient traditionary accounts, as it is immediately in
your power to see it by examining what things have been wickedly
perpetrated by the baseness of men unworthily holding power. And it is
right to take heed with regard to the future, that we may maintain the
government in undistributed peace for all men, adopting needful changes,
and ever judging those cases which come under our notices, with truly
equitable decision.

For whereas Aman, a Macedonian, the son of Amadathes, in reality an
alien from the blood of the Persians, and differing widely from our mild
course of government, having been hospitable entertained by us, obtained
so large a share of our universal kindness, as to be called our father,
and to continue the person next to the royal throne, reverenced of all;
he however, overcome by the pride of his station, endeavored to deprive
us of our dominion, and our life: having by various and subtle artifices
demanded for destruction both Mardochaeus our deliverer and perpetual
benefactor, and Esther the blameless consort of our kingdom, with their
whole nation. For by these methods he thought, having surprised us in a
defenceless state, to transfer the dominion of the Persians to the
Macedonians. But we find that the Jews, who have been consigned to
destruction by the most abominable of men, are not malefactors, but
living according to the justest laws, and being the sons of the living
God, the most high and mighty, who maintains the kingdom. to us as well
as to our forefathers, in the most excellent order.

Ye will therefore do well in refusing to obey the letter sent by Aman
the son of Amadathes, because he that has done these things, has been
hanged with his whole family at the gates of Susa, Almighty God having
swiftly returned to him a worthy recompence, We enjoin you then, having
openly published a copy of this letter in every place, to give the Jews
permission to use their own lawful customs, and to strengthen them, that
on the thirteenth of the twelfth month Adar, on the self-same day, they
may defend themselves against those who attack them in a time of
affliction. For in the place of the destruction of the chosen race,
Almighty God has granted them this time of gladness.

Do ye therefore also, among your notable feasts, keep a distinct day
with all festivity, that both now and hereafter it may be a day of
deliverance to us and who are well disposed toward the Persians, but to
those that plotted against us a memorial of destruction. And every city
and province collectively, which shall not do accordingly, shall be
consumed with vengeance by spear and fire: it shall be made not only
inaccessible to men, but most hateful to wild beasts and birds for
ever.] And let the copies be posted in conspicuous places throughout the
kingdom and let all the Jews be ready against this day, to fight against
their enemies.

8:13 The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every
province was published unto all people, and that the Jews should be
ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

8:14 So the horsemen went forth with haste to perform the king's
commands; and the ordinance was also published in Susa.

8:15 And Mardochaeus went forth robed in the royal apparel, and wearing
a golden crown, and a diadem of fine purple linen: and the people in
Susa saw [it] and rejoiced.

8:16 And the Jews had light and gladness,

8:17 in every city and province wherever the ordinance was published:
wherever the proclamation took place, the Jews had joy and gladness,
feasting and mirth: and many of the Gentiles were circumcised, and
became Jews, for fear of the Jews.

8:1 On that day did the king
Ahasuerus give the house of Haman the Jews' enemy unto Esther the queen.
And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was unto
her.

8:2 And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and
gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.

8:3 And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his
feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the
Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews.

8:4 Then the king held out the golden sceptre toward Esther. So Esther
arose, and stood before the king,

8:5 And said, If it please the king, and if I have favour in his sight,
and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes,
let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of
Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in
all the king's provinces:

8:6 For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people?
or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?

8:7 Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai
the Jew, Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they
have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews.

8:8 Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name,
and seal it with the king's ring: for the writing which is written in
the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse.

8:9 Then were the king's scribes called at that time in the third month,
that is, the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth day thereof; and it
was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and
to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of the provinces which
are from India unto Ethiopia, an hundred twenty and seven provinces,
unto every province according to the writing thereof, and unto every
people after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing,
and according to their language.

8:10 And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus' name, and sealed it with the
king's ring, and sent letters by posts on horseback, and riders on
mules, camels, and young dromedaries:

8:11 Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to
gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to
slay and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province
that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the
spoil of them for a prey,

8:12 Upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely, upon
the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.

8:13 The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every
province was published unto all people, and that the Jews should be
ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

8:14 So the posts that rode upon mules and camels went out, being
hastened and pressed on by the king's commandment. And the decree was
given at Shushan the palace.

8:15 And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal
apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a
garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and
was glad.

8:16 The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour.

8:17 And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king's
commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast
and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the
fear of the Jews fell upon them.